Family-owned has been brewing dozens of beers at its 30-barrel brewery and tap room since 2014. Its beers are also on tap at bars and restaurants throughout the D.C.-area.

The Auburn location has hosted hundreds of live events over the years.

The last day for that location will be April 5.

In a , the owners said Graham and Mary Ann Burns plan to retire, and Chris and Kristin Burns “have some exciting opportunities” outside of the brewing world.

The owners said their Ashburn lease was up, though they planned to pass the business on to new owners. Their plans for a potential handover were subsequently squashed once they learned the landlord had already re-leased the space to another tenant.

However, their announcement did not rule out a second coming of Old Ox at another location down the road.

“It’s been an epic ride and we’re so thankful to all of you that have come along for this ride with us,” their Facebook posting said. “It has been an incredible journey these past 11 years. Together we’ve made wonderful friendships, supported our community, created some pretty damn cool experiences, and consumer an impressive quantity of delicious beer.”

Old Ox Brewery is named after nearby Old Ox Road, one of the oldest roads in Loudoun County.

Old Ox is one of more than 40 breweries in Loudoun County, one of the largest concentrations of craft beer production in the Commonwealth.

Source

The deal to purchase 44652 Guilford Drive Units 101-105 is in a 60-day due diligence period. It should close soon, Graham said, and “we should be brewing beer by September.” The space will include a tasting room.

Graham, a dedicated home brewer, said the business is a “family dream.”

“The hobby became an obsession and now a livelihood, we hope,” Chris told me.

The initial products will include a flagship IPA, a porter and a “nice light German-style Kolsch,” Chris said.

“Our focus is on simplicity and quality,” he said. “That doesn’t limit us to a particular style. What we find is that a lot of beers in the market right now are incredibly complex and tasty, but can become unapproachable.”

The Burns family chose the name Old Ox months ago as they eyed a piece of property in the Dulles Trade Center on Old Ox Road. That deal fell apart, but they liked the name so much, they decided to keep it.

Old Ox will join a growing list of Loudoun breweries — Corcoran Brewing Co., Lost Rhino Brewing Co., Mad Horse Brewpub, Sweetwater Tavern and Vintage 50 Restaurant & Brew Lounge.

The more the merrier.

Source